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1 Then his son Judas, called Machabeus, rose up in his stead.
2 And all his brethren helped him, and all
they that had joined themselves to his father, and they fought with
cheerfulness the battle of Israel.
3 And he got his people great honour, and put on a breastplate as a giant, and girt his
warlike armour about him in battles, and protected
the camp with his sword.
4 In his acts he was like a lion, and like a
lion's whelp roaring for his prey.
5 And he pursued the wicked and sought them
out, and them that troubled his people he burnt with fire:
6 And his enemies were driven away for
fear of him, and all the workers of iniquity were troubled: and salvation
prospered in his hand.
7 And he grieved many kings, and made Jacob
glad with his works, and his memory is blessed for ever.
8 And he went through the cities of Juda, and destroyed the wicked out of them, and turned
away wrath from Israel.
9 And he was renowned even to the utmost part
of the earth, and he gathered them that were perishing.
10 And Apollonius gathered together the
Gentiles, and a numerous and great army from Samaria, to make war against
Israel.
11 And Judas understood it, and went forth to
meet him: and he overthrew him, and killed him: and many fell down slain, the
rest fled away.
12 And he took their spoils, and Judas took
the sword of Apollonius, and fought with it all his lifetime.
13 And Seron
captain of the army of Syria heard that Judas had assembled a company of the
faithful, and a congregation with him,
14 And he said: I will get me a name, and
will be glorified in the kingdom, and will overthrow Judas, and those that
are with him, that have despised the edict of the king.
15 And he made himself ready: and the host of
the wicked went up with him, strong succours, to be
revenged of the children of Israel.
16 And they approached even as far as Bethoron: and Judas went forth to meet him, with a small
company.
17 But when they saw the army coming to meet
them, they said to Judas: How shall we, being few, be able to fight against
so great a multitude and so strong, and we are ready to faint with fasting
today?
18 And Judas said: It is an easy matter for
many to be shut up in the hands of a few: and there is no difference in the
sight of the God of heaven to deliver with a great multitude, or with a small
company:
19 For the success of war is not in the
multitude of the army, but strength cometh from heaven.
20 They come against us with an insolent
multitude, and with pride, to destroy us, and our wives, and our children,
and to take our spoils.
21 But we will fight for our lives and our
laws:
22 And the Lord himself will overthrow them
before our face: but as for you, fear them not.
23 And as soon as he had made an end of
speaking, he rushed suddenly upon them: and Seron
and his host were overthrown before him:
24 And he pursued him by the descent of Bethoron even to the plain, and there fell of them eight
hundred men, and the rest fled into the land of the Philistines.
25 And the fear of Judas and of his brethren,
and the dread of them fell upon all the nations round about them.
26 And his fame came to the king, and all
nations told of the battles of Judas.
27 Now when king Antiochus heard these words,
he was angry in his mind: and he sent and gathered the forces of all his
kingdom, an exceeding strong army.
28 And he opened his treasury, and gave out
pay to the army for a year: and he commanded them, that they should be ready
for all things.
29 And he perceived that the money of his
treasures failed, and that the tributes of the country were small because of
the dissension, and the evil that he had brought upon the land, that he might
take away the laws of old times:
30 And he feared that he should not have as
formerly enough, for charges and gifts, which he had given before with a
liberal hand: for he had abounded more than the kings that had been before
him.
31 And he was greatly perplexed in mind, and
purposed to go into Persia, and to take tributes of the countries, and to
gather much money.
32 And he left Lysias,
a nobleman of the blood royal, to oversee the affairs of the kingdom, from
the river Euphrates even to the river of Egypt:
33 And to bring up his son Antiochus, till
he came again.
34 And he delivered to him half the army, and
the elephants: and he gave him charge concerning all that he would have done,
and concerning the inhabitants of Judea, and Jerusalem:
35 And that he should send an army against
them, to destroy and root out the strength of Israel, and the remnant of
Jerusalem, and to take away the memory of them from that place:
36 And that he should settle strangers to
dwell in all their coasts, and divide their land by lot.
37 So the king took the half of the army that
remained, and went forth from Antioch the chief city of his kingdom, in the
hundred and forty-seventh year: and he passed over the river Euphrates, and
went through the higher countries.
38 Then Lysias chose Ptolemee the son of Dorymenus,
and Nicanor, and Gorgias,
mighty men of the king's friends.
39 And he sent with them forty thousand men,
and seven thousand horsemen: to go into the land of Juda,
and to destroy it according to the king's orders.
40 So they went forth with all their power,
and came, and pitched near Emmaus in the plain country.
41 And the merchants of the countries heard
the fame of them: and they took silver and gold in abundance, and servants:
and they came into the camp, to buy the children of Israel for slaves: and
there were joined to them the forces of Syria, and of the land of the
strangers.
42 And Judas and his brethren saw that evils
were multiplied, and that the armies approached to their borders: and they knew
the orders the king had given to destroy the people and utterly abolish them.
43 And they said every man to his neighbour: Let us raise up the low condition of our
people, and let us fight for our people, and our sanctuary.
44 And the assembly was gathered that they
might be ready for battle: and that they might pray, and ask mercy and
compassion.
45 Now Jerusalem was not inhabited, but was
like a desert: there was none of her children that went in or out: and the
sanctuary was trodden down: and the children of strangers were in the castle,
there was the habitation of the Gentiles: and joy was taken away from Jacob,
and the pipe and harp ceased there.
46 And they assembled together, and came to Maspha over against Jerusalem: for in Maspha
was a place of prayer heretofore in Israel.
47 And they fasted that day, and put on
haircloth, and put ashes upon their heads: and they rent their garments:
48 And they laid open the books of the law,
in which the Gentiles searched for the likeness of their idols:
49 And they brought the priestly ornaments,
and the firstfruits and tithes, and stirred up the Nazarites that had fulfilled their days:
50 And they cried with a loud voice toward
heaven, saying: What shall we do with these, and whither shall we carry them?
51 For thy holies are trodden down, and are
profaned, and thy priests are in mourning, and are brought low.
52 And behold the nations are come together
against us to destroy us: thou knowest what they
intend against us.
53 How shall we be able to stand before their
face, unless thou, O God, help us?
54 Then they sounded with trumpets, and cried
out with a loud voice.
55 And after this Judas appointed captains
over the people, over thousands, and over hundreds, and over fifties, and
over tens.
56 And he said to them that were building
houses, or had betrothed wives, or were planting vineyards, or were fearful,
that they should return every man to his house, according to the law.
57 So they removed the camp, and pitched on
the south side of Emmaus.
58 And Judas said: Gird yourselves, and be
valiant men, and be ready against the morning, that you may fight with these
nations that are assembled against us to destroy us and our sanctuary.
59 For it is better for us to die in battle,
than to see the evils of our nation, and of the holies:
60 Nevertheless as it shall be the will of
God in heaven so be it done.
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1- فقام مكانه يهوذا ابنه المسمى
بالمكابي.
2- و كان كل اخوته و جميع الذين انضموا الى
ابيه انصارا له يحاربون حرب اسرائيل بفرح.
3- فزاد شعبه بسطة في العز و لبس لامته كجبار
و تقلد سلاحه للقتال و باشر الحروب و بسيفه حمى الجيش.
4- و كان كالاسد في حركاته و
كالشبل الزائر على الفريسة.
5- فتعقب اهل النفاق مستقصيا
اثارهم و احرق الذين يفتنون شعبه بالنار.
6- فنكص المنافقون خوفا منه و
اضطرب جميع فاعلي الاثم و نجح الخلاص على يده.
7- و احنق ملوكا كثيرين و فرح
يعقوب باعماله فصار ذكره مباركا مدى الدهر.
8- و جال في مدن يهوذا و اهلك
الكفرة منها و صرف الغضب عن اسرائيل.
9- فاشتهر الى اقاصي الارض و جمع
المشرفين على الهلاك.
10- و حشد ابلونيوس الامم و جاء
بجيش عظيم من السامرة ليحارب اسرائيل.
11- فلما علم يهوذا خرج للقائه
فاوقع به و قتله و سقط قتلى كثيرون و انهزم الباقون.
12- فسلب غنائمهم و اخذ يهوذا سيف ابلونيوس
فكان يقاتل به كل الايام.
13- و سمع سارون قائد جيش سورية ان يهوذا قد
عصب عصابة و جماعة من المؤمنين يسيرون معه الى القتال.
14- فقال اقيم لنفسي اسما و اتمجد في المملكة
و اقاتل يهوذا و الذين معه من المستهينين بامر الملك.
15- ثم تجهز للخروج و خرج معه
جيش قوي من الكفرة يظاهرونه و ينتقمون من بني اسرائيل.
16- فدنوا الى عقبة بيت حورون فخرج يهوذا
للقائهم في نفر يسير.
17- فلما راوا الجيش مقبلا الى
لقائهم قالوا ليهوذا كيف نطيق قتال مثل هذا الجمع القوي و نحن نفر يسير و قد
استرخينا اليوم من الصوم.
18- فقال يهوذا ما اسهل ان يدفع
الكثيرون الى ايدي القليلين و سواء عند اله السماء ان يخلص بالكثيرين و
بالقليلين.
19- فانه ليس الظفر في الحرب
بكثرة الجنود و انما القوة من السماء.
20- اولئك ياتوننا بجمع من ذوي
الشتائم و النفاق ليبيدونا نحن و نساءنا و اولادنا و يسلبونا.
21- و اما نحن فنحارب عن نفوسنا
و سنننا.
22- و هو يكسرهم امام وجوهنا فلا تخافوهم.
23- و لما فرغ من كلامه هجم
عليهم بغتة فانكسر سارون و جيشه امامه.
24- فتتبعه في عقبة بيت
حورون الى السهل فسقط منهم ثماني مئة رجل و انهزم الباقون الى ارض فلسطين.
25- فوقع خوف يهوذا و اخوته و
رعبهم على الامم الذين حولهم.
26- و بلغ ذكره الى الملك و
تحدثت الامم كلها بوقائع يهوذا.
27- فلما سمع انطيوكس الملك بهذا
الكلام استشاط غضبا و ارسل و جمع كل جيوش مملكته عسكرا شديدا جدا.
28- و فتح خزانته و دفع الى
جيوشه وظائف سنة و امرهم بان يكونوا متاهبين لكل شيء.
29- ثم راى ان الفضة قد نفدت من
الخزائن و قد قل جباة ضرائب البلاد لسبب الفتنة و الضربة التي احدثها في الارض
لينسخ السنن التي كانت لها منذ ايام القدم.
30- و خشي انه لا يملك ما يقوم بنفقاته و
عطاياه التي طال ما كان يجود بها جودا واسعا فاق به الملوك الذين كانوا من قبله.
31- فتحير في نفسه حيرة شديدة و
ازمع ان يذهب الى بلاد فارس و ياخذ جزية البلاد و يجبي مالا جزيلا.
32- فاستخلف ليسياس على امور
الملك من نهر الفرات الى حدود مصر و هو رجل شريف من النسل الملكي.
33- و ان يتولى تربية انطيوكوس ابنه الى ان
يعود.
34- و فوض اليه شطر الجيش و
الفيلة و امره بكل ما كان في نفسه و بامر سكان اليهودية و اورشليم.
35- ان يوجه اليهم جيشا يكسر
و يستاصل شوكة اسرائيل و بقية اورشليم و يمحو ذكرهم من المكان.
36- و ينزل في جميع تخومهم ابناء الاجانب و
يقسم الارض بينهم.
37- و اخذ الملك الشطر الباقي من
الجيش و سار من انطاكية عاصمة ملكه في السنة المئة و السابعة و الاربعين و عبر
نهر الفرات و جال في الاقاليم العليا.
38- فاختار ليسياس بطلماوس بن دوريمانس و
نكانور و جرجياس رجالا ذوي باس من اصحاب الملك.
39- و وجه منهم اربعين الف راجل و سبعة الاف
فارس لياتوا ارض يهوذا و يدمروها على حسب امر الملك.
40- فساروا بالجيش كله حتى بلغوا
الى قرب عماوس و نزلوا هناك في ارض السهل.
41- و سمع بخبرهم تجار البلاد
فاخذوا من الفضة و الذهب شيئا كثيرا و عبيدهم و جاءوا المحلة حتى يشتروا بني
اسرائيل عبيدا لهم و انضمت اليهم جيوش سورية و ارض الغرباء.
42- و راى يهوذا و اخوته تفاقم الشر و ان
الجيوش حالة في تخومهم و بلغهم كلام الملك انه امر باهلاك الشعب و استئصاله.
43- فقال كل واحد لصاحبه هلم
ننهض شعبنا من مذلته و نقاتل عن شعبنا و اقداسنا.
44- فاحتشدت الجماعة لتتاهب للقتال و تصلي و
تسال الرافة و المراحم.
45- و كانت اورشليم مهجورة كالقفر لا يدخلها و
لا يخرج منها احد من بنيها و كان المقدس مدوسا و ابناء الاجانب في القلعة التي
كانت مسكنا للامم و قد زال الطرب عن يعقوب و بطل المزمار و الكنارة.
46- فاجتمعوا و ساروا الى المصفاة قبالة
اورشليم لان المصفاة كانت من قبل هي موضع الصلاة لاسرائيل.
47- و صاموا في ذلك اليوم و
تحزموا بالمسوح و حثوا الرماد على رؤوسهم و مزقوا ثيابهم.
48- و نشروا كتاب الشريعة الذي
كانت الامم تبحث فيه عن مثال لاصنامها.
49- و اتوا بثياب الكهنوت و
بالبواكير و العشور ثم دعوا النذراء الذين قد استوفوا ايامهم.
50- و رفعوا اصواتهم الى السماء قائلين ما
نصنع بهؤلاء و الى اين ننطلق بهم.
51- فان اقداسك قد ديست و دنست و كهنتك في
النحيب و المذلة.
52- و ها ان الامم قد اجتمعوا
علينا ليبيدونا و انت عليم بما ياتمرون علينا.
53- فكيف نستطيع الثبات امامهم
ان لم تكن انت في نصرتنا.
54- ثم نفخوا في الابواق و صرخوا
بصوت عظيم.
55- و بعد ذلك رتب يهوذا قواد الشعب رؤساء
الالف و المئة و الخمسين و العشرة.
56- و امر من اخذ في بناء بيت او
خطب امراة او غرس كرما او كان خائفا بان يرجع الى بيته بحسب الشريعة.
57- ثم سار الجيش و نزلوا بجنوب
عماوس.
58- فقال يهوذا تنطقوا و كونوا
ذوي باس و تاهبوا للغد لمقاتلة هذه الامم المجتمعة علينا لتبيدنا نحن و اقداسنا.
59- فانه خير لنا ان نموت في
القتال و لا نعاين الشر في قومنا و اقداسنا.
60- و كما تكون مشيئته في السماء
فليصنع بنا
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